1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circular board game; and more specifically a game providing a post golf round activity for golf partners with a golf theme that accommodates golf enthusiasts of various ages and golf abilities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the golf community that a round of golf does not end at the eighteenth hole. Oftentimes golf partners xe2x80x9cextendxe2x80x9d the round by gathering at the xe2x80x9c19th Holexe2x80x9dxe2x80x94oftentimes a clubhouse lounge, bar, restaurant, or poolxe2x80x94to relax, eat and drink. This relaxation time is a welcome resbit after a long golf round played in sun, wind, or rain. It rejuvenates the golfer and provides a xe2x80x9csafe harborxe2x80x9d in which golfers forget failed sand trap shots and sliced tee-offs, and revel in their low scoring holes. Golfers frequently augment post round conversations with additional activities, since the usual topics of conversation have previously been exhausted during the round. There is needed a mind stimulating activity having a golf theme that provides for competition among golf partners which is not directly related to golf ability, but which is relaxing and entertaining.
Many games proposed by prior art workers provide mind stimulating, yet simple forms of entertainment. These games have been proposed as entertaining mind exercises; but not as post golf activities. For example, The Way to Play: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Games of the World describes a number of single player, solitaire board games having a game board surface with grooves thereon to accommodate game pieces such as marbles or pegs. Each of the solitaire board games involve jumping pegs over adjacent pegs to land in an open groove, with the pegs which have been jumped over removed from the playing board. Some of the games have as an objective to clear the board of all of the game pieces. Other games require the player to position the game pieces in a specific pattern. Each solitaire game is considered won only if its exact objective has been met; therefore, a player will have to make numerous attempts to work out a winning solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,033,422 to Langley et al., describes a board game wherein the board apparatus comprises an arrangement of grooves and pegs. To play the game, a single player uses straight and diagonal jumps to jump pegs until a single peg remains located in the center groove. U.S. Pat. No. 2,017,501 to Howard discloses a game board apparatus having grooves for receiving playing pieces. The game board described therein is useful for games requiring progressive removal of playing pieces from the game board. Additionally, the game board provides a storage space for the game pieces. U.S. Pat. No. 631050 to La Rue Peck pertains to a solitaire board game with a board apparatus having grooves for placement of game pieces. The game board is further designed with numbered positions on its surface with start, home and field divisions. The object of this game is to move the game pieces in the grooves according to combinations formed between a game piece number and the number delineated by a vacant groove.
In another instance, the prior art proposes a mind stimulating game having a golf theme. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,248 to Jankosky discloses a golf board game with a playing board having a graphical depiction of a golf hole with stroke values printed throughout and an array of grooves thereon. Playing pieces are located in the grooves on the board. To commence play, the player jumps peg playing pieces over adjacent pegs to empty grooves of the board. Each peg which has been jumped over is removed from the board and the player continues jumping pegs until no more such jumps are made. The remaining playing pieces are assigned a specific stroke value based on the stroke value printed on the board in the area in which the game pieces remain. The player""s score for a hole is the total stroke value obtained by adding the values of each remaining peg.
None of these prior art games provides a multiple player, amusing post-golf game with a golf theme, having a strategic set of rules in which a standard golf score card may be used. What is needed is a game in combination with a set of rules which accommodates multiple players having differing ages and golf skills, utilizes a golf theme and requires a keen sense of mental skill. Such a device provides a relaxing but competitive mental skill exercise especially adapted for participation by golfers after the eighteenth hole.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a golf ball board game comprising (a) a circular playing surface having 37 depressions arranged in seven parallel rows in which three of the parallel rows have seven depressions therein, two of the rows have five depressions therein, one of which is positioned adjacent to a first side of the three parallel rows of seven, the other of which is positioned adjacent to a second side of the seven parallel rows, and two of the parallel rows have three depressions therein, one of which is positioned adjacent to a first side of said parallel rows of five depressions therein, the other of which is positioned adjacent to a second side of the parallel row of five depressions, said circular surface further comprising a depression located adjacent to an outside edge of the circular playing surface; and (b) a series of rules comprising the steps of (1) placing a plurality of detachable golf ball playing pieces in 36 of the 37 depressions arranged on said circular playing surface in each of the depressions located therein except for the depression positioned in the centermost portion of the seven parallel rows; (2) jumping said detachable golf ball playing pieces in a horizontal or vertical fashion over adjacent detachable golf ball playing pieces and removing a golf ball playing piece which has been jumped over from the circular playing surface, (3) repeating step (2) for at least one minute, or until no more jumps may be made; (4) counting the number of remaining golf balls left on the circular playing surface; (5) recording the number of balls left on the circular playing surface as an entry on a score card as an amount equal to the number of golf strokes attempted per hole; (6) repeating steps (1) through (5) for each one of a plurality of separate players for the golf hole; (7) tallying the number of said recorded strokes in each entry for each of said players; and (8) comparing each player""s tally. The player with the lowest tally is the winner.
The golf ball board game apparatus comprises a circular playing surface consisting of a rigid material, preferably plastic, wood or fiberglass. Plastic is the most preferred material for the game board because it is sturdy and may be cleaned of dirt and grime easily. The golf ball playing pieces are comprised of standard size golf balls. Advantageously, golf ball playing pieces are easy to handle, easy to see, and are not easily broken. Additionally, if one of the golf ball playing pieces should roll away or become lost, it is likely that a golf player after a round of golf has extra golf balls in their bag wherein they may replace the missing golf ball playing piece and proceed playing the golf ball board game. Moreover, the use of golf ball playing pieces enhances the golf aspect of the game.
The seven parallel rows located on the circular playing surface are positioned with at least enough space in between the rows to accommodate the golf ball playing pieces. Thus, a player may rest a ball which is not in play between any of the seven parallel rows. This provides a convenient means for removing golf balls from the playing surface. The depressions located on the circular playing surface in which the golf balls rest are deep enough to accommodate at least the bottom portion of the golf ball playing pieces. In this way, the board can be moved without disturbing the arrangement of golf balls thereon.
In play, each player takes turns at clearing the circular playing surface of golf balls. The rules require that the pre-determined time play period for a hole is at least one minute and the pre-determined par value of each hole is equivalent to four. The scoring is similar to a par four hole of golf wherein one ball left on the golf ball playing surface is equivalent to a hole in one and a score of one; two balls left on the golf ball playing surface are equivalent to an eagle and a score of two; three balls left on the golf ball playing surface are equivalent to a birdie and a score of three; four balls left on the golf ball playing surface are equivalent to par and a score of four; five balls left on the golf ball playing surface are equivalent to a bogey and a score of five; six balls left on the golf ball playing surface are equivalent to a double bogey and a score of six; and seven balls left on the golf ball playing surface are equivalent to a triple bogey and a score of seven. The aforementioned scoring retains the golf theme of the board game, equalizes the playing field among golf partners, and helps to teach beginning golf players about the terms associated with the number of strokes taken per hole.
Advantageously, the game apparatus and series of rules of the present invention offer golf partners an entertaining, post-golf round activity that may be played in the clubhouse, club bar, restaurant, or pool. The mind stimulating game activity eases tension which may accumulate while golfing, and helps re-focus the golfer away from sliced shots or penalty strokes encountered during the round. Scoring each hole played and tallying the total score develops a sense of competition among players. Golf skills of the players are equalized, leaving each player with a fair chance of winning the golf ball game.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a modification in the scoring whereby a pre-determined time play period varies in proportion to a predetermined par value. The scoring may vary for each hole played. For example, the time play period for a hole may be range from at least one minute to at most three minutes in combination with a par score equal to five. The time play period may range from at least two minutes to at most four minutes for a par score equal to four. A time play period of at least three minutes and at most five minutes would be allotted for a hole having a par value of three.
The alternate embodiment, with each hole having scoring which comprises a pre-determined time play period in proportion to a pre-selected par value, is the most useful and preferred embodiment of the golf ball board game of the present invention. This embodiment advantageously increases the mental preparation and planning required for each jump. The timed play periods add excitement, require strategic planning, and enhance competition as players endeavor to make the right moves and decisions, within the allotted time, to clear the board of as many playing pieces as possible.
In yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a modification in the golf ball playing pieces whereby the golf balls are comprised of various colors. In one embodiment using a plurality of colors for golf ball playing pieces, each color is assigned a positive or negative value. The value increases or decreases the stroke score of a hole if left remaining on the circular playing surface at the end of a pre-determined time play period or when no more moves may be made. In a second embodiment using golf ball playing pieces comprised of a plurality of colors, a first player is assigned golf ball playing pieces having a first color, and may only jump golf ball playing pieces having the first color, while a second player is assigned playing pieces having a second color and may only jump golf ball playing pieces having such second color. Each player""s score is counted at the end of a pre-determined time period, or when no more moves may be made. This embodiment creates an even more challenging version of the golf ball board game, since the first player must now account for jumps made by a second player on the circular playing surface during play on the same hole. This embodiment requires patience and anticipation by each player of the next few moves to be made.
In each of the aforementioned embodiments, the golf ball board game apparatus in combination with a series of rules provides a mind stimulating and entertaining post-golf activity for a plurality of players of different age groups and golfing abilities.